Russia may build new nuclear power blocks at Iran's Bushehr

"The Iranian government is discussing possible expansion of Bushehr. For that reason, given of course compliance with all international norms and regulations, this [construction] is entirely possible," he said.

Iran is one of the countries that Rosatom views as a potential source of orders to build new power blocks, Kirienko said. Rosatom is currently discussing construction of about 40 nuclear power blocks in countries around the globe, he said.

"We have a longstanding, agreed permission that Bushehr stands outside the framework of international sanctions," he said.

The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Ali-Akbar Salehi, said at the beginning of December that Tehran was in talks with Moscow concerning its desire for 4,000 MW of capacity and that the Russian authorities expressed willingness to start construction.

Salehi said construction might begin as early as this year.

Iran's only nuclear power plant, located at Bushehr on the Persian Gulf coast, has 1,000 MW of capacity. Construction of the plant began in 1975, but was interrupted by the 1979 revolution. In 1995, Iran reached an agreement with Russia to complete the plant and it was put into operation in 2011. The Bushehr NPP was brought up to full capacity at the end of June 2013.

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